Begins production at Giga Texas: Model Y, not part of the Launch Series
New Tesla Model Y Now Available in North America
The refreshed Model Y, Tesla's popular electric SUV, has made its way to North American roads since late January 2025. The updated Model Y SUV was first launched in China in January 2025 and became available in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico starting in March.
However, there's a twist. A longer six-seat version called the Model Y L, which was launched in China in August 2025, is not yet available in North America. Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, has stated that the Model Y L will not enter production in North America until the end of 2026, possibly pushing its launch into early 2027. Musk also hinted that this version may never come to North America, depending on the success of Tesla’s autonomous driving and Robotaxi developments.
Here's a quick overview of the Model Y versions and their availability in North America:
| Model Y Version | Availability in North America | |-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| | Regular 2025 refreshed Model Y | Available since March 2025 | | Model Y L (6-seat extended) | Production planned end of 2026 or later; may never launch |
If you're interested in the regular Model Y, it's already available for purchase. The Performance variant of this model is expected to arrive later this year. Initially, the new Model Y was only available in the Long Range variant in a special Launch Series trim. But with the start of production of the regular version of the Model Y in the United States, it seems that the regular, non-Launch Series Model Y may be available soon in North America.
Tesla has already started selling the regular version of the Model Y in China and Europe. Until now, only the premium Launch Series of the Model Y has been built and sold in North America. If Tesla follows a similar pricing strategy from other markets, the new Model Y, when available in the RWD and LR trims, might be priced similarly or even cheaper.
For those who participated in Tesla's referral program, they were rewarded with three months of Full Self-Driving (FSD) as part of the package, under certain conditions.
Interestingly, a drone flyover of Giga Texas revealed several units of the new Model Y without the Launch Series badging, hinting at the production of the regular Model Y in Texas. However, Tesla has not conducted recent drone flyovers at the Fremont factory to confirm the production of the regular Model Y in California.
In summary, the regular Model Y is now available in North America, while the six-seat Model Y L is planned for a later release, possibly in late 2026 or early 2027. Keep an eye out for the Performance variant of the regular Model Y, expected to arrive later this year.
